Paper-clip.



W. P. J. MURRAY.

PAPER CLIP. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 5. 1914.

1, 1 60,1 90. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS coLuMmA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

PAPER-CLIP.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Application filed November 5,1914. Serial N 0. 870,490.

To all whom it may concern: 7,

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. J. MUR- RAY, a citizen of the United States,.and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and usefullmprovements in Paper-Clips, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n paper clips, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.' v

An object of my invention is to provide a paper clip which may be readily applied to or removed from articles which it is designed to hold, and which is not liable to become loosened.

A. further object of my invention is .to provide a paper clip having a central body portion arranged to'lie on one side of the paper and having wings adapted to l1e on the opposite side, each ofsaid wings being so formed as'to provide a socket for receiving theend of the thumb or finger, thereby preventing the latter from slipping off of the clip when the clip is being attached.

' A further object of my invention is to provide a paper clip of the type described which is especially adapted to be placed at the rectangular corners of envelops, cards or other similar devices.

A further object of my invention is to provide a paper cliphaving side wings secured to a central body portion which is normally in the same plane with the side wings, and which when bent out of'the plane may be readily brought back into the'plane so as to prolong the usefulness of the device.

- Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the device will be. particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application in which Figure 1 is an enlarged face view of the device, Fig. 2 is a face view showing a modified form, Fig. 3 is a section along the line 33 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a View showing the clip as applied to the edge of a sheet, and Fig. 5 is a view showing the clip as applied to the corner of the sheet.

In carrying out my invention I provide a single piece of spring wire. This wire may be of any suitable material, such as steel, brass, or other-resilient material. The wire is bent back upon itself to form a central body portion 1 which, as will be seen from Fig. 1 provides a comparatively wide end 1*, the two opposite sides of the body portion converging toward a point 2 at which point the distance between the wires is the least. From the point 2 the wires are bent away fromeach other into the general form of an ellipse, the wires being brought in toward the body portion, a part of the wires designated by 3 conforming to the curvature of and lying inside of the outer convolution. It will be noted that the ends 4 of the wires terminate approximately at a point which is farthest away from the end 1 of the body portion. The reason for this will be explained later. p

The device constructed as described provides a central body portion having laterally extending wings which are of substantially elliptical shape, and which therefore form convenient sockets for the reception of the end of the thumb or finger when the clip is being fastened to the sheets for holding together.

.From the foregoing description the operation of the device maybe readily understood. In applying the clip it is preferably held with the plane of the clip at right angles to the plane of the paper. The latter is passed between one of the spring portions 3 and the body portion 1. It will be observed that the inner convolution of the side wing forms with the body portion, a channel 5,. into which the paper can be guided. Furthermore, since these two parts, z. e., the wire which forms part of the body portion 1, and the curved portion of the wing, converge, the paper will be guided into the proper place even though it is inserted near the body portion or near the wing. Thus one who is inserting the clip can do it very quickly. The clip is now turned until both wires of the body portion lie fiat against the surface of the paper. It

is now moved into such a position that the edge of the wing. nearest the user just clears the edge of the paper. Slight pressureiwilli cause the ingt Pass to the enp ei e si of the paper when bypushing inwardly the two wings will be brought on one side' -of the paper and the body portion on the other.. It l e ob erved. ha n thisv operat on;

the body portion 1 being on top and one of the wings being on thebottom, while the side and the central body portion on the other.

Thisgciip is especially designed for bold: ing sheets of rectangular form at the cor: ne'r's thereof. In Fig. 5 I have shown the position of the cli when engagingthe corners ofthe sheet. It will'be' observed that the side wings engage the edge of the sheet atc'and a, 'onaon'e side and at Z and Z9" on the other side. This tends to, clamp the clip tothe sheet so that any tendency to loosen the clip by accidentally striking the bodyportion 'or thewings will be resisted. I regard this as an important feature of the invention, because sometimes it is desirable or necessary to secure papers at their corners, and with certain clips on the marlget it is impossible to do this with any certainty of the clip being retained, since" one or 'another portion ofthe clip 'will catch on other papers whereupon the least. lateral pressure will dislodge the clip. Another feature to which I desire to call attention is that when the body portion of the clip is bent, as for instance where it is used to hold a thick bunch of papers, it may beinstantly brought back to its central position, i. in the plane with the wings 'by placing two fingers in the sockets formed by the wings, grasping the device with the thumb of the same hand on the opposite side of the wings and pressing the end of the body portion until it lies in the same plane with the wing. This can be instantly done and when done will restore the clip to its original condition, so that it may be used with either side up. p v

. In Fig. 21 have shown a modified form of the device in which the body portion hasa lateral y end g r n in, ea hthe two wireswhich constitute the bodyport'i'on, while the portion 3 is provided with abent portion 3% conforming to the portion 1 1mmediately adjacent. The purpose of this modified form of the device is to give additional gripping surfaces which would tend to prevent the clip from being detached from the sheets accidentally, for it will be observed. that in the form shown in F 4 the pars e t e. body s me -amt the Parts of the wings which are nearest the body por- @lQIj-tffllld which tend to resist the movement of the clip away from the sheet extend in a generaldirection at right angles te the sheet. By bending the body portion and the wings in'the manner shown in Fig. 2 the parts l and 3y have P rtion whi h ext nd. wens; verse y f the line at r gh ahs'l'e te t ge ae eh'e t ti e the e r te o te reeiet h f e' hieh s hee sse y beheech thee inj 1h hie fe' m o thjedeviee he n the et er, th i g t rm end eeehe er the thu jlher finserin endin the elip to bring the'wings on one side and the body pertieh en the e he 1 awar thetelipe h reib eh maeih Whieh wings are Pre id e heee'ejhete ermn'at'e shortof the body portion that isto sen which ha e inner rer iehsieimi er to th port on hich ext nds s bstantial y pa l t pe t tith bay rert 'eh and W h h'e n t i elt I regard the portion 8- as essenti l "tomy in en ion, eihee it s o i te hitther tier: tesethe w th. the W e 9 he-bed)? Porti te m a i ?'1. .P fe eeivihs and h ld n the Paper in the. ee 'et buttin h ehp f h th rhe th p ion; 1 te term ehe side of the 'eee up n w ich th thumb er fihs r 'r ete in b n i g the l t rih the Wi -sen the Same, side of the when. "It his-ie'er ii e should be omitted then the thunib 'w'quld press on the body; portion itself and tend to bend it with the wing, whereas thebody si'de-of the paper from the wing.

Aheth r feature te desire tec attenti n is theif et that the elii 're eiree vreleti ely. a Smal rrepe t ehj Qf Wire; Furthe mere t e cli i o a hiene that; the 11- reet eh ef the eepes W nes; ends hold them c ose, esaih t t eleaper at, all Pe ete arehnd the llin i 'eh wiegkehd, e set hdl t9 hel the hed pert en' leeease het t Pa e Whe as in serhe elipegfee ee ally when used ith thie i sheets as the elite p d en be he sheets he nner adsie id te tu n away the she ts a cla ' 1- A p p p rises a single view f Wir ben beak 1 119. ts tseateen at ts h ddl'e. t9 pro ide a cent a b dy ar ies, ellip i al-shaped t a ly ext dins wins an eej hsiide e aid. e r p lrt e i part of the wire forming said wings being b i de n d, a se. 9 the epp eite adjacent to and conforming in shape with part of the Wire which forms said body portion.

2. A paper clip comprising a single piece of Wire bent back upon itself substantially at its middle to provide a central body portion, and an elliptical-shaped laterally extending Wing on each side of said body portion', a part of the Wire forming said Wings with part of the Wire which forms said body portion, the ends of the Wire terminating near that end of the ellipse which is farthest from the bent end of the body portion.

WILLIAM PAUL JOSEPH MURRAY. Witnesses:

FRANCIS P. MALONE, A. H. YERKES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

